Bathing apparatus.



No. 807,802. PATENTED DEG. 151905..

H. R. AULD.

BATHING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.13, 1905.

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PATENTED DEC. 19, 1905.

H. R. AULD.

BATHING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.13.1905.

2 SHBETS-SHEET 2.

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Ira 625502 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HUGH R. AULD, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOHN CALDWVELL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

BATHING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 19, 1905.

Application filed February 13, 1905. Serial No. 245,368.

T 0 all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HUGH R. AULD, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bathing Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to bathing machines or apparatus; and the object is to provide a machine which shall obviate the necessity of bathers overexert-ing themselves by swimming and yet derive all the possible pleasure from immersion in comparatively deep water and rapid motion through the water and to provide means for ducking the bathers and other appliances for the amusement of the bathers and spectators.

This apparatus is intended to be used at seashore resorts and is adapted to float on the water and to be anchored in such a way that it can be rotated at any desirable speed and so produce considerable peripheral motion without being shifted from its place of anchorage.

The apparatus consists of the parts which I will now proceed to describe and claim, reference being had to the following figures, in which Figure 1 represents a cross-sectional view of an apparatus embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents a fragmentary elevation of a portion of the same. Fig. 3 represents a cross-sectional plan view of a part of the lower portion of the apparatus. Figs. 4 and 5 represent, respectively, detail views of a portion of the transmission-gear of the propelling mechanism and an elevation of the windlass by which the ducking-baskets hereinafter described are raised and lowered. Figs. 6 and 7 represent elevations taken at right angles to each other of a weight adapted to be used for maintaining a uniform tension in a line connecting the device with the shore.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the figures.

The apparatus comprises a float having a bottom a, a main deck 6, and an upper or promenade deck 0, upon which spectators may be accommodated While Watching the bathers. The bottom a supports the machin- Preferably the float is cylindrical in form, and the propellers are located near its outer periphery, projecting tangentially of the periphery. The propellers are also located on opposite sides of a diameter of the float and driven, preferably, in opposite directions of rotation,so that, their pitch being the same, the thrusts exerted by the propellers are in opposite directions and located at the ends of a diameter, so that a turning movement is exerted and the float caused to rotate.

To accommodate the propellers, there is provided an annular peripheral channel or passage (l, which is open at sides and bottom, there being no other obstruction than a wirenetting d d or other foraminous covering and sufficient posts or supports cl to serve as bearings for the ends of the shaft e and also to hold the covering or netting (Z (Z in posi tion. This netting leaves the passage open sufliciently to permit free flow of water to and away from the propellers while excluding large solid bodies, and thereby protecting the swimmers from danger of injury by the propellers and also protecting the propellers from injury by other bodies.

In order to retain the apparatus in a single position and still allow it to rotate, there is provided an anchor it, connected by a chain a and a swivel-joint j with the bottom of the float at its center. When, however, the apparatus is to be moved from one position to another, the anchor will be raised and one of the propellers caused to rotate in the opposite direction from that in which it normally turns, so that the thrust of both propellers will be in the same direction. The mechanism by which the reversal of one of the propellers is accomplished is as follows: The shaft f has a bevel gear f which is located between bevel-gears e and 6 which are rigidly mounted upon a sleeve 6 with their toothed portions or faces turned toward each other and separated by a distance slightly greater than the diameter of the gear f The sleeve e is mounted upon the shaft 6 by a feather-andslot connection of the ordinary form, so that it can slide longitudinally of the shaft, but is compelled to rotate therewith, and the sleeve may be shifted by a lever It, having a forked end which engages in a groove Z of the sleeve. By throwing the lever 70 about its pivot the sleeve may be shifted and one or the other of the bevel-gears e 6 brought into mesh with the gear The other propeller-shaftf car ries a bevel-gear f which meshes with a gear 6 on the shaft 6. If desired, the same arrangement of gears for causing reversal of this propeller-shaft also may be provided; but as a general thing this will not be necessar grojecting from the sides of the float, pref erably in a radial direction over the water, are provided arms m 0, of which there are preferably a considerable number, spaced at suitable distances apart, certain of the arms, as the arm m, carrying suspended from them at the ends of lines long enough to allow them to be supported beneath the surface of the water loops or breast-straps p, adapted to encircle the trunk of a bather beneath the arms and provide a support by which the bather may be held and drawn along through the Water as the device is put in motion. On another of the arms, as 0, there is provided a novel means of furnishing amusement both .for the participants and the spectators, consisting of baskets q, hung from the arm by means of lines r, passing over pulleys s and extending inboard to the drum of a Windlass t. The latter is provided with a crank 2,, connected to a pinion 6 which meshes with a gear on the drum and is operated to turn the drum and wind up the lines 9" upon it. A pawl t engages ratchet-teeth i on the drum and holds the latter in place. When the baskets are to be lowered, the pulley is disengaged from the ratchet-teeth and the drum allowed to run, its speed being regulated by a suitable brake t, which can'be operated through a tread'le t to reduce the speed of the drum by the attendant. As the apparatus is in motion the baskets can be lowered within reach of swimmers who are disporting themselves in the water,- so that the latter can climb in. The baskets will then be raised and allowed to fall with more or less suddenness to duck the occupants, thereby furnishing an endless source of amusement. For further providing amusement there may be hung from the arms bodies having the form of marine animals or monsters usuch as whales, sharks, sea-serpents, &c.which may be provided in place of the loops or the baskets or in connection with them. These bodies or efligies will be preferably of bag-like form and inflatable and also ballasted, so that they will occupy when placed in the Water an upright position, floating slightly below the surface and when attached to the lines depending from the arms will be towed through the water in a very realistic manner. The bathers can climb on the backs of these figures and be carried about with them in a similardmanner as upon merry-go-rounds upon The various devices described will be distributed about in any desirable and suitable way; but it is preferable that all the arms all times.

carrying baskets should not be placed upon one side of the float, since if they are so lorated and many of them are raised or lowered at once an objectionable rocking of the apparatus will be produced. Therefore I consider it better that the basket-carrying arms should be arranged in pairs located on diametrically opposite sides of the float.

I have provided a novel and entertaining means for transferring visitors between the float and the shore, this consisting of a carriage or car 21, suspended from a trolley wheel or carriage '0, supported upon aline 0 which extends between a fixed abutment?) on the shore and the traveler consisting of a collar 4; on the mast w. The car 1; will be caused to travel between the shore and float by means of gravity, and in order to cause it to run in either direction at will the traveler is arranged so that its height may be changed, an operating-line w being connected to the traveler and carried over a pulley @0 on the mast. As is obvious, when the traveler is at its lower limit it is below the abutment 41 so that the carriage is enabled to run by gravity toward the float, While when raised to its upper limit it will be above the abutment c and in this case the carriage will run in the opposite direction.

In order to maintain the line o at a uniform tension and prevent it from becoming strained by rocking of the float or sagging loosely, I cause it to be yieldingly held to the abutment o by a weight w, connected to the free end of the line which is passed over a pulley of on the fixed abutment. If desired,aspring might be used in place of the weight and, as is evident, either device will produce a yielding tension on the line which will be uniform at I have also provided an arrangement by which the length of line between the traveler '0 and the weight may be varied to supply more line or take up the slack with the falling and rising of the float, due to the tide or other causes. sists of a drum 00, mounted in bearings in the frame of the weight w to which the line is attached and which is provided with a crank m by which it may be rotated and the line wound up or let off therefrom. The drum is provided with a means for holding it locked in any position, which means may be any wellknown locking mechanismsuch as a pawl and ratchetalthough I prefer to provide the This arrangement condrum with a number of holes :0 into one or more of which is inserted a pin 00*, which bears against one of the side bars 00 of the weightframe, the weight comprising a frame :0 and removable blocks of, detachably connected to the frame.

This apparatus, as will be readily apparent, is adapted to furnish amusement of many diverse kinds both to the participants and to the spectators. In addition to furnishing amusement for swimmers this apparatus may also on occasion he used to teach beginners to swim by attaching the breast-loops p to the bodies of the beginners and propelling them at a slow speed.

I claim 1. A bathing apparatus comprisinga float, an anchor having a central swivel connection with the bottom of the float, a transverse shaft, mechanism for rotating the same, propellers adjacent the opposite ends of the shaft, and arranged to exert their thrust tangentially of the float, and driving connections between said transverse shaft and the propeller-shafts, one of such connections comprising a sleeve slidingly mounted on the transverse shaft and engaged to rotate therewith, bevel gears mounted on said sleeve with their toothed portions facing each other, a bevel-gear on the propeller-shaft located between said firstnamed gears, and means for shifting the sleeve to bring one or the other of said gears into mesh with the propeller-shaft gear, whereby the apparatus may be caused to rotate about a substantially stationary axis or to shift its position.

2. A bathing apparatus comprising a float, an anchor having a central swivel connection with the bottom of the float, a transverse shaft, a propeller-shaft, a bevel-gearon the propeller-shaft, a pair of bevel-gears mounted on the transverse shaft with their acting portions facing each other, and means for shifting said gears so as to cause the propeller-shaft gear to be in mesh exclusively with one or the other of the transverse shaft-gears.

3. A bathing apparatus comprising a float, an anchor having a central swivel connection with the bottom of the float, the float having a surrounding annular circumferential passage, propellers located tangentially of the float at opposite sides thereof in said passage, a single transverse shaft for driving the propellers and a foraminous covering forthe outer and lower sides of said passage whereby water may be freely admitted thereto and solid bodies excluded therefrom.

4. A bathing apparatus comprising a float, means for rotating the float, an arm projecting laterally from the float over the water, a swinging basket capable of containing a person suspended from the arm away from the side of the float, and means for raising and low ering said basket.

5. A bathing apparatus comprising a float, means for rotating the float, an arm projecting laterally from the float over the water, pulleys located at intervals on said arm, baskets capable each of containing a person, suspended from lines passing over said pulleys and extending inboard, a Windlass having a drum to which the said lines are connected, means for rotating the drum to elevate the baskets, and a brake engaged with the drum.

6. A bathing apparatus comprising a float, means for rotating the float, an arm projecting laterally from the float over the water, a swinging basket capable of containing a person suspended from the arm, means for raising and lowering said basket, a second arm, lines suspended therefrom, and loops hung at the ends of said lines adapted to surround the body of a swimmer.

7. A bathing apparatus comprising a float, means contained in the float for rotating the float, an arm projecting laterally from the float over the water, and a pneumatic, inflatable body representing a marine animal suspended from said arm and submerged in the water.

8. A bathing apparatus comprising a float, means contained in the float for rotating the float, an arm projecting laterally from the float over the water, and a body representing a marine animal suspended from said arm and submerged in the water, such body being inflatable and ballasted to cause it to occupy an upright position in the water.

9. In a bathing apparatus, the combination of a float, an anchor having a central swivel connection with the bottom of the float, driving mechanism for rotating the float, a central mast, a traveler on the mast adapted to be raised and lowered, a stationary abutment on shore, a line connected to said traveler and extending over a pulley on said abutment, and a weight attached to the end of the line and having an adjustable connection with the end of the line, whereby the length of the latter between its point of attachment to the traveler and the weight, may be varied.

10. In a bathing apparatus, the combination of a float, an anchor having a central swivel connection with the bottom of the float, driving mechanism for rotating the float, a central mast, a traveler on the mast adapted to be raised and lowered, a stationary abutment on shore, a line connected to said traveler and extending over a pulley on said abutment, and a weight comprising a frame, removable weightblocks, and a drum rotatably mounted on said weight-frame, the drum being connected to the end of said line, and constructed to wind up the line by its rotation.

11. A bathing apparatus comprising a cylindrical float having an external annular passage in its lower portion, posts connected to the float extending downward on the outside of the passage, a shaft diametrically arranged on the float journaled at its ends in opposite posts, propellers located at opposite points in the passage engaged by a driving connection with the shaft and arranged to exert their thrusts tangentially of the float, and a motor connected to drive the shaft.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

. HUGH R. AULD.

Witnesses:

A. O. RATIGAN, H. L. ROBBINS. 

